Robbie and Tori, Best Friends or something more?
by Megan0104
Summary: Robbie has always harbored a crush on Tori but what will he think when she says that she returns those feelings? Read and find out. Fluffy! T until Chapter Six, that one is M and then the last chapter is T
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

**AN: I would like to thank my amazing beta! For taking my horrible writing skill and helping me turn it into the masterpiece that it is today!**

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><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_"So what should I do now?" Tori asks, holding the camera awkwardly. I chuckle inwardly, before stepping behind her. Snaking my arms around her, I take control of her hands and move them into the correct places on the camera. Repeating the mantra of "Don't get distracted Robbie." It's all I can do to avoid realizing just how close we are._

_"There, all better" I say, dragging myself away from her and resisting the urge to kiss her. When Tori turns back to me, she blushes lightly and I hope for once I'm not imagining things. It almost feels like she isn't disgusted by my touch._

_My phone starts to vibrate. Peering down at it, my mom's name lights up the screen. I groan and sink into a nearby chair. Clasping the phone in my hand, I press the delete button and push thoughts of my family to the back of my head. Turning my focus back to the beautiful girl standing near my kitchen table, I watch as she clumsily operates the camera leant to us by the school._

_"Who was that?" Tori asks, peering though the viewfinder and not making eye contact with me._

_"Just my mom probably telling me that she and dad have to work late. They might not be home tonight or for the next few days." I state with a sigh._

_"That's horrible Robbie." Tori replies. She drops the camera to her side as concern fills her voice and those big brown eyes of hers._

_"Don't worry about it, I've got Rex I guess." I state with a shrug. I'm used to having nothing, so this isn't anything new._

_"Do you want…I could stay here? I mean we have to work on our project and…I could just talk to my parents." Tori's words stutter into the air as she nervously shifts her weight from one foot to the other._

_"Sure If you want," I smile, trying to keep a lid on my emotions. I just barely manage to turn away before Tori can see the blush lighting up my cheeks._

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><p>I bury my face in my hands as the tears begin to flow.<p>

My parents are fighting and once again their argument revolves around me. Their words cut deeply and I'm almost certain that they never wanted me here from day one. My thoughts darken and turn towards Tori, if only she would like me back. It's just a pipe dream, crushed by Rex. He's cruel and heartless towards her, armed with the same snarky comments he levels on me. I try to brush them off, but they don't slide away as easily as they used to. Most nights after I put him in the closet, I cry like a pathetic child.

Sure I used to sleep with Rex like he was a stuffed animal, but since my parent's fighting has gotten worse I have found solace in other things. With that abandonment, it seems as though his tongue has only sharpened, his words more vicious.

Thoughts of Tori are my escape. I know most people say that finding solace in thinking about someone is silly. But when you've spent a day in my shoes, you'll take comfort anywhere you can find it. I hope that she sees past Rex and realizes how in how with her I am. All of my doubts and all of my darkest thoughts seem to leak out through Rex. It's easier than dealing with the consequences of letting them pass through my own lips.

I pull out my Pear Phone and dial Tori's number. She's the only one that can drag me back from the brink of falling apart.

"Robbie?" Her voice is achingly beautiful as it filters through the speaker.

"Hey Tori, could I maybe come over? My parents are fighting and I…I'm done with my house tonight." I do my best to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. She doesn't need to see how pathetic I am straight away.

"Sure Robbie!" With her words, I can imagine her smiling sweetly. She's probably sitting on her couch her feet tucked under her.

Ending the call, I waste no time in abandoning the hell that is my home. I pull out of the driveway in my beaten up car and buildings fly past me as I speed towards Tori's home. Only a few moments later, I walk up the path to Tori's house and lightly knock on the door. When it opens Tori is standing there in her pajamas. There's no makeup on her face and her hair pulled high on top of her head. God, she looks beautiful.

"Robbie!" She squeaks, pursing her lips as she takes in my broken form. I know I'm not much to look at right now, but she still smiles and opens the door wider.

I drop my bag onto the floor beside the couch and hold out my arms for her. With a halfhearted smile, she pulls me into her arms. She's patient and allows me to bury my face in her shoulder as tears spill forth. She doesn't even falter when my tears mar her silky brunette locks.

"Robbie?" She asks after a while.

"Yeah?" I reply, momentarily holding myself together.

"Do you want to stay here for the night? Like I'll sleep on the couch and you can have my bed" She whispers into my chest, still holding me close.

"I wouldn't want to impose. You can have your bed. I'll sleep on the couch if you're sure it's alright?" I pull away just enough to peer into her eyes. Not a trace of pretense lies within them; she's one of a kind. I know if I were her, I wouldn't have even bothered answering the call of a guy like me.

I'm lost in my thoughts when two tired adults come down the stairs. Dropping my arms away from Tori, I quickly recognize them as her parents.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Vega." I say quietly, taking another step away from Tori. I could swear disappointment flashes across her features, if only for an instant.

"Robbie?" Mrs. Vega asks, punctuating her response with a yawn.

"What are you doing here? It's nearly midnight." Mr. Vega asks. His eyes narrowing as he regards me suspiciously.

"My parents were fighting and so I called Tori. S-she said to come over and that I could stay the night. I'm sorry but just couldn't deal with another night of my parent's constant yelling and screaming at each other. Once they start it's constant until the early hours of the morning when one of them finally stops and goes to bed." I barely get the words out before the words drag tears from my eyes. I curse myself for not being strong enough to keep my emotions in check.

"Oh, Okay Robbie. Um…see you in the morning." Mr. Vega looks horribly uncomfortable, but the suspicion drains from his eyes. A sob hacks through my throat as I watch Tori's parents disappear up the stairs.

"Hey Robbie I'm kind of tired too, but just let me run upstairs. I'll grab a few blankets and a pillow. I'll sleep on the other couch incase you wake up during the night." Tori's kindness comes through her words, before she flashes a smile in my direction. I feel my heart melt at the sight of it. The longer I'm in her presence, the more convinced I am that she's an angel.

"No, No. Tori you go sleep in your own bed, I wouldn't want your beautiful neck getting a kink" The pain of a few moments ago seems a world away as I grin playfully in her direction.

"I can sleep down here. I'll be fine alone." Reaching into my bag, I produce a pillow and two blankets. The smile disappears from Tori's face with my words. I swear she's disappointed, I'm not just seeing things.

"Kay." She states, turning on her heel. "If you're sure, I guess I'll go upstairs and go to bed." She flashes another smile in my direction, though it's not as bright as the last one.

Pulling together my courage, I pull her in for one last hug goodnight. Her arms wrap around my waist and I lightly brush my lips along the top of her head. She smells like vanilla and honey shampoo. After a few moments, she pulls away from me and walks toward her room. As much as I'd love for her to sleep down here, I don't want to burden her anymore than I already have

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><p><strong>And..there is chapter one! Tell me what you think!<strong>

**Leave a Review, If you loved it comment and if you hated it..why?**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing! (Although I wish I did(: )**

**I would also like to thank my amazing beta because without them I would still be in the dark and this story wouldn't exist **

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><p>[Tori's POV]<p>

I sling open the door to Hollywood Arts and step into the chaos. Suddenly a dense air filled to bursting with the sounds of chatter and slamming lockers whirls around my ears, disorientating me as I walk towards my locker.

"Hey Tori!" Through the crowd, red hair bounces towards me as Cat's typical squeak of a voice precedes her arrival.

"Hey Cat, Happy Birthday." I greet her, as she falls into step beside me. With Cat beside me, the disorientation disappears and a smile hitches itself to my lips.

"Do you want to come to Nozu on Saturday?" Cat asks, as we come to a halt at my locker. Throwing my eyes upon her, Cat's peering up at me through puppy dog eyes. Any thoughts of declining instantly fall by the wayside.

"Sure, I'd love to." I reply, reaching for the lock on my locker.

"Just don't bring Trina, She scares me." Cat whispers, just loud enough for me to hear. Shaking my head slightly, I chuckle and rummage through my locker for some supplies.

"Hey Ladies." Robbie greets us, as he slides up behind Cat.

"Hey Robbie" I reply, peering intently into my locker and trying to suppress the crimson color threatening to cross my cheeks. With Robbie's appearance, suddenly the air feels thick again and I'm struggling to breathe.

"You okay Tori?" Robbie asks, taking a step towards me and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah I'm fine." I lie, as a giggle slips past my lips. I'm really getting sick of not being able to say a word to Robbie without that happening. Ever since Sikowitz made us kiss, it's just been getting worse and worse. He probably thinks I have some sort of mental deficiency by now.

"What's wrong with Vega?" Jade asks, ambling down the hall, her fingers loosely linked with Beck's. She wears an expression like she's not super excited that I woke up alive this morning. That's nothing though, I've gotten used to that by now. What I'm not used to is my throat tightening when Robbie moves ever so slightly. I could swear he's trying to block me from the wrath that we both know is about to spill forth from Jade.

"She's all flustery-like it's like that one time when my brother-"Another tale of her brother misdeeds begins to spill from Cat's lips before Beck cuts her off.

"She's in love." He says, jabbing my stomach and flashing a knowing smile in my direction. My eyebrows cut into my nose and I'm wishing my grandmother had taught me some kind of ancient curse to place upon Beck's head right now.

"Don't touch her." Jade huffs, gripping his hand and digging her nails in. It's no curse, but a lifetime with Jade is probably worse than anything I could have come up with.

"What? No. I'm not in love." I stutter, attempting to brush off Beck's comment. That damned nervous laugh slips through my lips again. It's like a giant flashing sign telling them all that I'm lying.

"You like someone though" Andre says, appearing from out of nowhere. He's looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a half-smile and I could swear there's some kind of conspiracy against me right now.

"Who?" Cat squeaks, looking up from her Pearphone. Jade smirks beside her and I swallow nervously. I really wish that I had paid more attention in some of Sikowitz's acting lessons.

"No I don't! Well…I do but that's nobody else's business." I splutter, making a feeble attempt at laying down the law and falling spectacularly short. Five pairs of eyes linger on me and even with the racket filling the halls, their silence is deafening.

"I have to get to class" I add after a moment, clutching my bag and whirling away from them all. My knuckles bleach white as I race down the hall, just barely skimming by other students. I'm more focused on pushing all thoughts of that awkward conversation out of my head than avoiding them.

I slip into a seat near the back of Sikowitz's class and breath a sigh of relief. Between the stress of realizing that I have a crush on one of my closest friends and the noise in the halls, my head is pounding. My peace is short lived though, as a familiar figure pushes the door open and glides towards me.

"Tori, something's wrong I can tell." Robbie's voice drags me into the real world, as he slides into the seat next to mine. My heart thumps in my chest and I have to fight to clear my head.

"N-no…I'm fine, I swear." The lie rattles through my lips and I avoid eye contact with Robbie by looking at the board in front of us. It's a tactic that I maintain throughout class, never giving Robbie the chance to influence my words.

The bell rings and I spring from my seat, intent on escaping Robbie's penetrating stare. I'm hurtling down the hallway when a hand encloses my shoulder and roots my to the spot. I refuse to turn around, lingering in place and trying to delude myself into believing that it's just Trina or Cat.

"Tori, c'mon something has to be wrong. You've been acting all wonky all day." Robbie says, spinning me around so that we're face to face. I try and conceal the crimson blush creeping onto my cheeks. It's in vain though, his touch is like electricity shooting down my spine rushing through my veins.

"Nothing is wrong Robbie I promise." I mumble, my eyes skittering away from his Gaze. I've never seen him like this before. He's so in control while I'm so powerless. Trying to push away the romantic thoughts of the skinny boy standing in front of me is like trying to uproot a mountain.

"I you say so." Robbie mumbles, dropping his arm away from me and heaving a sigh. He looks so disappointed and I feel horrible for hiding my feelings from him.

"What are you doing for lunch today?" I ask, timidly extending an olive branch in his direction. Clenching my booking in my fingers, I'm hoping that my question will hold the intruding thoughts from both of our minds.

"Just going to the Asphalt Café like always" He answers without much enthusiasm. As he jerks his shoulders up and down sadly, my heart sinks within my chest and I feel even worse.

"Do you want to go to Nozu with me?" The invitation rushes through my lips without a second thought. As I wait for him to respond, my heart leaps around in my chest.

"A-a-are you sure?" He asks, finally dissolving into the puddle of nerves that I'm so familiar with. As his brown eyes dart around the halls, I heave a long withheld breath. Things are a little less wonky between us this way.

"Of course I am Robbie." I answer with a smile, hoping to arrest his fears. A sudden bolt of paranoia rushes through me, and I lightly jab his arm in a show of friendship. If he doesn't feel the same way about me, then I can't risk him discovering my feelings.

"We both have Sikowitz before lunch, so no sense in meeting you there…" He says, letting out a dry nervous laugh. The rattling sound emitting from his throat reminds me of my own laughter from this morning.

"You're driving." I state with a smile, feeling the tension between us melt away.

"Why can't you just get your license like a normal teenage girl?" He jibs, groaning in fake displeasure.

"Because!" I whine, thrusting my bottom lip out and pouting in Robbie's direction.

"Oh look at you two, so cute!" Cat gushes, skipping towards us haphazardly. She nearly trips on her own feet as she comes to a halt beside us.

"Hey Cat…" I mumble, thrusting my hand into my bag and looking down at my PearPhone with a sigh. Maybe if I act like Robbie's not here, the blush will leave my cheeks.

The high pitched screech of what I assume is "singing" echoes through the halls. God, it's Trina again. I cradle my head in my hands and shake my head from side to side trying to get that awful noise out of my ears. It's in vain though, as the voice of the culprit draws closer and the singing only grows louder.

"Hey little sister." She says smiling sickly and poking my nose, before moving on. I clench my hand into a fist as my anger pools within it.

"Calm down Tori." Robbie says, reaching down and loosening my fist with tender precision. He frees my knuckles of their bleached white entombment, and I feel a renewed surge of affection toward him.

"What? Oh sorry." Robbie's touch evaporates my angers and I grin at him for a moment, before pushing a curled lock of brunette hair behind my ear.

"Tori's hand was all white." Cat giggles, looking slightly dazed. I'm never quite sure if she lives in our reality or if she's merely visiting every so often.

"Yeah, it's cause of Trina." I state softly, trying to avoid remembering exactly why Trina's very presence irritates me beyond words today.

"Oh, She scares me." Cat says timidly, backing against a locker and repeating her earlier words. I'm not even sure she remembers saying those same words to me only a few hours ago.

"Cat, She scares everyone." Robbie retorts, chuckling dryly as he grips the strap on his backpack.

"Oh I know!" Cat replies, suddenly grinning again. "But we gotta go to class, Sikowitz is doing method acting again!" She adds, jumping a few inches off of the ground landing with no audible sound. Robbie and I both groan in displeasure. These classes are among the most painful I've ever attended.

Moments later, we're all locked in the bounds of the Characters Sikowitz thrust upon us. For some reason, Sikowitz has chosen me as his primary target today. After a few of his tricks, I find myself banished to a hard plastic chair for breaking character. Depending on how I look at it, the only consolation is that I'm beside Robbie.

"Don't feel bad Tori. You've still got singing and er, other acting. Besides no one likes method acting anyways." Robbie states with a smile, doing his best to comfort me. He's not exactly doing a fantastic job, but the effort is definitely appreciated.

"I got banished on purpose. I hate method acting and you looked lonely." I'm not sure where the courage to say that came from, but the grin on Robbie's face makes my think that my words we pitch perfect. Feeling further emboldened, I scoot slightly closer to Robbie so we won't disturb the remainder of the class that hasn't gotten banished yet.

"Cat, you are banished to the nether regions of the classroom!" Sikowitz booms, pointing towards the blue plastic chair she had briefly sat in at the beginning of class.

"Aww…" She moans sadly, trudging towards us.

"Here's some Candy." Sikowitz says, throwing her a small bag of sugar-packed goodness. Her eyes light up and all thoughts of disappointment disappear from her mind.

"Ooh Candy!" Cat squeals, excitement lighting up her face as she stretches to catch the candy as Sikowitz hurls it towards her. Perched precariously, on one foot, Cat's just barely clasping the small piece of sugary sweetness in her petite palm and maintaining her balance at the same time.

"Look at that girl stretch…" Andre comments, appearing in the doorway and not taking his eyes off of the elongated torso and legs of Cat Valentine. I'm not sure why he's late, but I know he's happy that he is.

"Shut-up and just ask her out already, Andre." I grumble, turning around to face him and rolling my eyes. Boys at this school are totally clueless as it relates to girls, I'm almost certain of it.

"She doesn't like me though…" He mumbles, dejection entering his voice and becoming more apparent with every word. Glancing over at the red-haired girl who's busily devouring Sikowitz's candy, I'm about to speak again when another scream of frustration and anger fills the silence in the classroom. My gaze skitters away from Cat as yet another student is sent to their seat, this time it's Jade. Finally the bell rings and everyone in class breaths a sigh of relief that the ordeal is over.

"Nozu?" Robbie asks, trailing behind me as I approach my locker.

"Sure" I reply, twisting towards him and smiling.

"Take-out?" He asks, seemingly trying his best to please me.

"We should bring some back for Cat then, I mean it is her birthday." I note absentmindedly, as I grab my wallet.

"Surely, girlie." He replies, as I close my locker with a click. A grin attaches itself to my lips again at Robbie's strange diction. As we amble towards the parking lot, I shake my head in a feeble attempt to block out all thoughts of this being some kind of date.

"You okay?" He asks, turning and looking at my hair beating the air as we walking towards his car. I nod my head slowly. Without the constant clutter of students and ringing of their voices, I feel more as ease than I have all day.

"Yeah I'm fine." I smile, reaching jabbing his stomach. 'Abs' I think to myself with a satisfied smile. I don't know what possessed me to do that, but nothing approaching regret finds it's way into my thoughts.

"Earth to Tori, You are really dazed today aren't you? Like even more than Cat after that candy Sikowitz gave her…" Robbie notes as he fumbles with his keys, looking for the one to his car.

"Yeah, I guess I am." I admit, clutching my arms close to my body, as if to protect myself from some intruding force. Robbie finally finds the right key and unlocks the door for us. I grin and tumble clumsily into the passenger seat.

"I still don't see why you won't get your license." He wonders out loud, looking out the back window as he slowly reverses between the yellow parking lot lines that cuddle the sides of his car.

"Because I failed my driving test…" I lament, screwing my eyes shut for a second before stealing a glance of him out of the corner of my eye.

"I'll help you then." He resolves a few moments later as we turn into Nozu's parking lot. As he kills the ignition and the purring motor of the car ceases, Robbie flashes a smile in my direction that sends me weak at the knees. Thank god we're sitting.

"Really?" I ask sheepishly, pushing an annoying lock of brown hair out of my eyes. I'm not sure when it became normal for me to dissolve in the wake of Robbie's smiles, but I could get used to moments like these.

"Yeah, why not?" He grins, jerking his shoulders up and down in a casual shrug of sorts.

"Because I already failed once so I'll probably fail again. Or worse still, I could total your car while you're teaching me!" The words spill out onto the black tar of the parking lot as we walk toward Nozu.

"Come on Tori, let's just go inside and order." Robbie states soothingly, gripping my elbow lightly and guiding me towards our destination. Sparks tingle through my entire body, numbing the thoughts rushing through my head and reducing me to putty in his hands.

"Kay…" I mumble dreamily. The euphoria wears off almost instantly as I catch sight of Nozu's hostile owner. I stumble slightly, slowing my gait as I recall her pledge to take revenge on Jade and I.

"I'll protect you from the Asian lady." Robbie laughs, picking up on my vibes somehow. When I send a questioning gaze his way, he simply shrugs and pushes his thick-rimmed glasses up further onto his nose.

"I'm a big tough girl, you know. I would be fine…" I argue playfully, regaining my footing both literally and figuratively.

"What? Are you going to like sing her to death?" He jokes, stepping in front of me and holding the door open for me to walk through. My heart skips a beat. He's the perfect gentleman.

"Maybe…" I counter with a wink as we step into the familiar restaurant.

"You!" A voice screams, wrenching me out of the pleasant moment we had been lost in.

"Oh God…not again." I groan. I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"You almost killed my daughter!" A short woman exclaims, pointing a slim finger in my direction. I bite down on my lip, still stunned at her aggression. Her daughter was perfectly safe, but admittedly it wasn't my finest hour.

"It was an mistake! Let it go." Robbie interjects, stepping in front of me. Placing his wiry frame between us his like setting foot on the sun with only some sunscreen, it's no sort of protection at all.

"I don't care!" She screams, turning on her heel and heading towards the kitchen. Robbie yanks me towards the take out counter and I'm only dimly aware of what he's ordering. I'm too busy making sure that crazy lady isn't either sneaking up on us or poisoning our food.

While we're waiting, Robbie retreats into his phone, frantically sending a message of some sort. I'm not sure what he's doing because frankly, I'm staring at him like a total creep. He's a lot more attractive than I had ever given him credit for. The curve of his lips, those soft brown eyes…

"You ready?" He asks, snapping me out of my daze with his words. Noticing an outstretched arm, I step towards him.

"Yep!" I chirp, encircling his slender arm with a broad grin playing at my lips.

A few hours later, the final bell rings and it's time to go home. I haven't learnt a thing since lunch though. My head has been too fogged with thoughts of Robbie the whole time. Pick up my books, I wander towards his locker, barely able to hear anything over the beat of my heart.

"Hey you want to come over?" I ask the slender boy as he pulls his head out of his locker. He regards me silently for a moment and my nerves take hold. My throat tightens at the prospect of him saying no. It's a thought that I don't think I can bare. Having a crush on Robbie is one thing, getting rejected by him is something completely different.

"Of course!" He replies enthusiastically, seemingly content that there's no ulterior motive behind my words. As he nudges me playfully, I'm not even offended that he's so cautious. I'm the one that's had to pick up the pieces of Robbie Shapiro more than more.

I know how fragile he is.

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><p><strong>And another chapter is done :) <strong>

**Did you like it? Hate it? Love it? Detest it?**

**-Megan**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**I would like to thank my amazing Beta MaybeWolf for editing and making this story the epic tale it has become :)  
><strong>

**You should go check out: "Misery Loves Company" by MaybeWolf if you haven't already it's a great story! :)  
><strong>

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><p>[Robbie's POV]<p>

There's a nervous energy fluttering around my body as I wait on Tori's porch. I can't believe where I am. My heart rattles against the inside of my chest as Tori swings open the large front door to her house and I swallow thickly as she appears in front of me.

"Hey Robbie." Tori greets me, bouncing slightly for a moment, before pulling me into a tight embrace. I pull back and study her intently, her face and her features are as undisturbed and as flawless as a mirror. I glance at a mirror across the room and look at my skinny cage of skin and bones next to Tori's beautiful toned body I'm nothing. I can't believe she'd even touch me willingly.

"Hey." I reply, eventually forcing my body into co-operation. Trying to recover from the shock of her enthusiastic greeting, I pull myself out of my thoughts poking her petite nose lightly, before stepping inside.

"Come on, sit down, and get comfortable." Tori babbles, before gesturing to the orange-fabric couch at the center of the Vega family living room.

"Can I have some water?" I ask, my throat reminding me of the center of the Sahara desert.

"Sure." Tori replies in her usual perky voice, before turning towards the kitchen. As she walks away, there's something different about her. I'm almost positive of it. The way she glides across the floor, the pink tinge lighting up her cheeks. Watching her graceful movements, I blush lightly and look up from where I'm sitting. As she tries to reach the top shelf of the cabinet, her t-shirt rides up a little, causing the laminate of the countertop to press into her bronzed stomach.

"Need some help?" I rasp, forcing myself to meet Tori's eyes.

"Yes please." She states with a grin and taking a short step away from the counter to inspect her stomach. As step towards her, I catch a glimpse of an angry red line that crosses her torso. Brushing my hand over her shoulder, I lightly brush past her.

She's definitely different today, she doesn't wrench herself away from my palm as I use her shoulder to balance myself and reach for a glass. I could almost swear I saw a blush engulf her cheeks as I pulled away. I grip the cool glass in my palm and slowly lower it to the counter. Closing the cabinet, I flip on the tap to cold and watch the torrent of water flood out and into the metal basin of the sink. I stick the glass under the water and watch as water catches in the bottom of the glass and slowly rises to the rim.

Lifting the glass to my lips I drink. My throat never quite loosens and still feels dry when I empty the glass. Shrugging internally, I shift my gaze to Tori. She's standing slightly in front of me and studying something in the bushes outside.

"You okay?" I ask putting one hand on her shoulder, once again sending electric shocks from my fingertips and through my entire body.

"Did you see that?" She asks backing against me, as though she's not repulsed in the slightly. Ignoring the feeling of her perfect body brushing against mine, I peer through the glass doors and at the bushes lining the Vega's porch. One of the nearby bushes shudders, but there's no wind outside.

"Tori, something moved in your bush." I whisper, a slight tremor in my voice.

"Oh God, Mr. Busey!" She shrieks all of a sudden, rushing forward and rapping her thin knuckles against the glass. A few seconds later, an unkempt figure exits the bush reluctantly.

"My dad said you're not allowed in our yard anymore!" Tori yells, closing the window coverings and whirling away from the pervert in her yard.

"Who was that?" I ask, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Our crazy neighbour, Mr. Busey" She sighs, before punctuating her words with a roll of her eyes.

"He's….unique" I say, searching for the right word and winding up with one that falls woefully short.

"No, he's creepy." She chuckles, brushing off the inherent strangeness of the situation that was just unfolded before us. A brief moment of silence passes between us as I wonder why she's lingering so close to me. Tori's nervously rubbing her arm and looking at the hardwood floors that cover the area where we stand. It's as though she wants to say something else, but can't.

"That too." I say, dredging up all of the courage within myself and playfully tucking a brunette curl behind her ear. I'm caught up in the moment, wondering if Tori will close the distance between us and I'll feeling the sweet embrace of her lips. Another second rushes past us and her phone vibrates. Heaving a groan, Tori pulls it from her pocket before unlocking her screen and flipping to the message that just ruined whatever moment we were having.

"Ew!" She squeaks, pounding her fingers on the plastic screen and typing a furious reply.

"Who is it?" I ask, wanting to know who ruined my perfect moment with Tori.

"Ryder Daniels" She mutters angrily. The tone flies right past me, I'm too busy lamenting the fact that I'll never come close to sweeping girls off their feet as Ryder does.

"Oh. Yeah. Him." I mumble sadly, feeling my heart sink into my stomach.

"He wanted to do a duet for the Full Moon Jam with me." Tori sighs, putting her phone away and leaning against the table, before stretching her feet out in front of her.

"What did you say?" I ask warily. Knowing exactly what she's about to say, but hoping in vain that it'll be the opposite.

"I said No. I've seen what he's done to other girls. He just uses them for a grade and drops them flat. He's not really my type anyway." She states, peering directly towards me and halting my heart. I'm struggling for breath as Tori pushes herself off the table and comes to a halt before me. She's so close that the scent of her shampoo slips into my nostrils.

"Tori…" I croak. Stepping away slightly, I'm trying to clear my head of the intoxication that her scent has blanketed my mind in, but I don't think it's possible.

"Yeah?" She replies, stepping towards me once again. I almost want to pinch myself to make sure I'm not seeing things. I want to promise I'm not seeing things. She's different today…she's got to be.

"How can I be like Ryder? Well not like Ryder exactly…but how can I attract any girl I want?" I ask cautiously, wondering what her response will be. Usually Tori's much easier to read than this.

"Well you have to figure out what every girl likes, and that's attention. Girls love compliments. Even when they aren't wearing makeup and are in sweats, compliment them and tell them that they are the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Is there somebody you're trying to impress?" She grins impishly, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. Between the mischievous look on her face and her teasing tone, there's something like concern simmering behind Tori's eyes.

"Well there is this one girl…" I reply, mirroring her grin.

"Who?" Tori squeals, her eyes widening as she bounces slightly on the spot. I swallow nervously, unable to believe that this is real life. This is like some kind of bizarre dream.

"She goes to Hollywood Arts and she sings amazingly, but every day I have to watch from the sidelines as she flirts with one of my friends." I reply, trying to keep any emotion out of my voice and keep the wavering of my words to an absolute minimum.

"Cat?" Tori asks, cocking her head to one side curiously. As her curls fall behind her head and drape down her back, I wonder what it is that I'm seeing reflected in her eyes. It's almost got a green tinge to it, it almost looks like envy. That can't be it though, right?

"No, it's not Cat. I don't think I'll ever say anything to her though, she's way out of my league." I state with a shrug, trying to ground my emotions and avoid getting all flustered at the prospect that I really did just see envy in Tori Vega's eyes.

"Oh, cause I like this guy at Hollywood Arts too, but he's just not totally secure with himself. Most people think he's a dork but I think that he's perfect behind those thick glasses." Tori's words tumble forth as she peers at the ground and shifts restlessly from foot to foot. She's digging her top teeth into her bottom lip and looking up at me through her long dark eyelashes, as though waiting for me to say something.

"Who is it?" I ask, hesitantly, not really sure if I want to know who she's talking about. If she never answers, I can go on deluding myself into thinking it could be me.

"It's…you." Tori finally replies, tumbling into my arms and burying her head into my chest. I lay my head on top of her brown coloured curls and brush my lips against them and smile. After a moment of bliss, she pushes against my arms lightly and I reluctantly release her.

"You okay?" I ask her searching her face for any hint of a joke. She's peering back at me seriously, her eyebrows drawn tightly together and drawing a line of concern between them.

"Yeah, I guess. Just curious" She mumbles nervously, toying with a lock of hair and twirling it back and forth in her manicured nails.

"About?" I ask, loosening her fingers gently from her curls and kissing the tips lightly. Tori's eyes widen and twin chocolate orbs meet my own.

"What girl were you talking about?" She asks, a tentative smile on her lips as her eyes dart between where our hands meet and my eyes.

"You. It was always you." I reply, my lips splitting into a wide grin. I feel on top of the world. Nothing could make me happier right now.

"Really?" Tori asks. I study her face while she smiles, she's beaming and I can't believe it. Everything else falls away. Nothing else matters right now. It's just Tori and I. Just me and Tori.

"Really." I confirm, placing my fingers beneath her chin and lifting Tori's face to mine. I grin and gently press my lips to hers. Tori melts into me and I embrace her tightly, enjoying the feeling of her lips against mine.

A sharp rap on the window drags me away from my thoughts and from the sensations of Tori's lips. I open my eyes reluctantly, and look around. As I search for the source of the sound, I notice Tori is still leaning in. Chuckling, I grasp her waist and pull her out of the utopia we were just in with a gentle prod.

"Tori, there's someone at your back door." I mention, noticing a silhouette at the door. Tori spirals away from me and stomps toward the back door. Not a moment passes before she's peeling back the white window coverings and flipping on the porch light aggressively.

"Mr. Busey! Get out of our yard!" She shrieks angrily, fire bursting through her lips as Tori sees the same unkempt figure from before peering back at her.

"I'll call the Police…or my dad. Same thing!" She threatens lamely, turning off the porch light and letting the curtain fall back into place. Stepping towards her, I snake my arms around her waist uncertainly. The anxiety I had felt before now is nothing, I don't think I could bare it if she were to push me away now.

"You okay?" I ask, heaving a sigh of relief as she whirls around and peers up at me, tenderness pooling in her eyes.

"I'm fine." She whispers, before laying her head on my chest.

"Tor?" I ask hesitantly, wondering if what I'm about to do is as stupid as I suspect it is.

"Yeah?" She says looking up uncertainly. I take the chance and grip her tightly, kissing her again before my nerves can overthrow my courage. She's startled, and for a moment I fear she'll pull away just like so many other girls have. But she doesn't. I feel my heart rise back into my chest and twitch happily as her form melts against mine.

"Tori!" A shrill voice clatter down the stairs and bludgeons our ears. I groan in displeasure as Tori and I are again forced to part.

"Go away Trina!" Tori yells, looking even more irritated than before as she stomps toward the stairs.

"No!" Trina states defiantly, coming down the stairs in more of a tumble than an actual gait.

"What're you two doing?" She asks, as she finally comes to a halt at the foot of the stairs. Peering between us, she nudges Tori playfully and waggles her eyebrows in my direction.

"None of your business. Now go back upstairs, there's new Fazinni boots on their website." Tori huffs, before reaching into her pocket and handing Trina some twenties. The girl smirks triumphantly as she heads back up the stairs, with her bribe in hand. Tori turns back to me, a tired look in her eyes. I take it as my cue to leave.

"I should probably go…I'll see you at Nozu?" I mumble, turning toward the table and picking up my belongings. After all of these interruptions, Tori's probably come to her senses by now. If I leave now, at least when she breaks my heart by saying this was a mistake, I'll still have this one pure memory of what it was like to be with Tori Vega.

"No, don't go…" Tori calls after me, as I step through the front door. I freeze in place, as I feel her fingers encircle my wrist. Turning around, I see the plea reflected not only within her words, but also within her eyes.

"Come with me then?" I ask, before pulling together whatever courage remains within me and wrapping an arm around Tori's waist. She smiles and before I know it, our lips meet again. Finally breaking apart on our own account, she mumbles something incoherently before wrapping her arms around me. Could this night be any more perfect? My thoughts seize up as Tori drags me into another searing kiss. She glides her tongue along my lips and tightens her grip on me as my heart leaps into my throat.

I don't think things could be any more perfect.

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><p><strong>And so what are your thoughts?<strong>

**Like it? Dislike it? Love it? Hate it?  
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**Review! :)  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**I would also like to tell my epic and amazing beta Maybewolf that I am forever grateful that you edited this**

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><p>"She has two hands let her do that herself." Jade's biting words cut through the air as she lifts her cup of green tea to her lips. I glance to my right and see the lean figure of Robbie Shapiro in the seat beside me. He jerks his hand away from where he was brushing a stray piece of hair out of my face, and it lands heavily in his lap. My eyebrows cut into my nose as Jade's snide comment bothers me more than it usually would.<p>

"It's okay Jade, calm down." Beck states mechanically. It's as though he's been caught in this situation a thousand times before and the response has been programmed into him. As he rubs her back soothingly, I find myself shaking my head slightly.

"You okay?" I whisper, turning to Robbie and resisting the urge to plant my hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. It's just Jade being Jade." He mumbles, trying to sound self assured, though his words just seem disjointed and sad.

"I'm sorry Robbie." I murmur, gripping his hand discretely beneath the table. A distinctive titter sweeps through the air as Cat bounces through the doorway and over to our table.

"Hi!" She squeals, sitting down at the head of the table between Beck and Andre. Her bright eyes flitter past all of us, something like gee registering in her smile.

"Hey Cat." I say, popping the bubble of silence that had settled over the table. Cat waves back enthusiastically and starts to babble about something her brother had done. Seeing her gaze shift to Andre, I glance over at where Beck was calming Jade down. I feel Robbie's fingers tighten around mine, so I turn to the thin boy beside me.

"What?" He whispers, trying to hide the smile pulling at his lips.

"You're kind of adorable." I grin, poking his nose gently when it seems like everybody is focused on Cat for a moment. From the corner of my eye, I see Jade's eyes snap towards us and realize my catastrophic error.

"Vega…I'm saying this as someone who likes to see you suffer, but if you know what's good for you then you won't date Shapiro. Between Shapiro's puppet and your sister, you two could possibly be the worst couple in history." Jade's words slash right through us and I feel old wounds reopening as Robbie bristles beside me.

"Jade, can we have one night where you don't bring someone down?" Beck pleads, turning his head and tossing an expression that could melt the coldest of hearts her way.

"No. Vega's here, you know I can't do that." She huffs, leaning against Beck's shoulder. He grimaces for a second before lifting his hands and attempting to massage the tension from her shoulders. His movements are slow and disjointed, something like an un-oiled machine.

"Hey Robbie, I um…forgot my phone in your car." The lie flies off my tongue and gets tangled in my lips as I stand up from behind the table.

"Come with me?" I ask, placing a hand on Robbie's shoulder and letting my gaze slip to meet his questioning brown orbs.

"Sure." He stutters, sliding his chair across the floor before gracelessly hauling himself into an upright position next to me. I catch my bottom lip between my teeth and fight the urge to dissolve in a fit of giggles.

We step away from the barely contained madness that makes up our friends, but Robbie's mood remains the same. My eyebrows tumble over my eyes as I wonder what's bugging him.

"Now it's my turn to ask, are you okay?" I ask, wrapping my fingers around Robbie's as we disappear out of earshot.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wish they that weren't so against me and you dating." He laments; reaching out and hurling open the front door of Nozu. I trail behind him as he lashes out against the ground with each step, tension written in his every movement.

"Guess what though?" I ask, a conspiratorial grin flying across my lips as we come to a halt behind his car.

"What?" Robbie asks, trepidation in his voice.

"I don't care what they think. You're perfect the way you are." My smile gives way to a grin as I lean back against the trunk of Robbie's car. The black cloud that's seemingly hung over his head since Jade opened her mouth gives way to a flash of white as Robbie's lips curl upward.

"Did you really leave your phone out here?" He asks, grinning impishly as realisation sinks into his skin.

"Nah, I just wanted to get away from Jade." I admit, rolling my shoulders and mirroring his grin.

"Come here then, I need to tell you something" Robbie asks, raising his hand and beckoning with one long finger.

"What?" I murmur, taking a long step towards Robbie and dropping my head onto his shoulder. He smells something pine and apprehension, I'm fairly certain that it should repulse me, but I only want to drag him closer.

"Let me look at you" He says seriously, a finger finding it's way beneath my chin and inclining my gaze to meet his. My heart flinches within my chest, there's hint of something else in his voice and I'm not sure what it is.

"Okay?" I mumble feeling confused. I take a small step away from Robbie and offer a nervous twirl in a dress Trina lent me. Paranoia surges within my thoughts and I can't shake the feeling that he's about to break things off between us. I can barely hear a thing over the pounding of my heart as tension wracks my body. Seconds hang in the air and just when I'm not sure I can take any more, Robbie closes the distance between us and presses his lips to mind. Startled at first I grin against his lips and enjoy the feeling of his body pressed against mine until he pulls away from me.

"Mr. Shapiro…" I begin, raising an eyebrow and awaiting his response. I never thought I'd be the one melting into Robbie's embrace and begging for him to kiss me again.

"Yes Ms. Vega?" He grins, obviously enjoying the feeling of holding some kind of power over me. His fingers send shivers up my spine as they brush over my bare skin.

"You. Are. Evil" I grumble, punctuating each word with a kiss.

"What's you point?" He says, whirling out of my grip and trading my waist for my hand. He's still smiling broadly and all of the tension that had plagued his movements is a distant memory.

"Let's go back inside." He state, pulling me back towards the entrance with a renewed spring in his step.

"Sure, but you know they're going to keep bugging us. We're going to have to tell them sooner or later, because I'm not sure how many more times I can drag you back out here in order to get a kiss." I state, tugging his arm and twirling him around so that we're face to face. His chocolate eyes mirror mine, and I can sense the apprehension swirling within them.

"I know, and that's what I'm dreading." The words creak forth from his lips, but as quickly as the melancholy had settled over him, it disappears in the wake of one final kiss. My lips are still tingling as he opens the door, and I'm already wishing that I could drag him into another embrace.

My heart's flying around within my ribcage and rattling my bones with increasing velocity as we draw ever closer to our friends. By the time we're sitting in our original places, I can barely hear the sound of clattering dishes and thick chatter within the air.

"Have fun?" Jade smirks, pouring more and more into her voice with every passing word.

"Why would they have fun? They were looking for Tori's phone." Cat asks, confusion flooding her voice. In spite of the line of question directed at us, I find a smile cracking my lips as I watch Cat cocking her head to one side.

"They weren't looking for her phone, Cat." Jade clarifies, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Her emerald eyes grow darker, as does the fear within my chest. Jade knows exactly what we were doing.

"Then what were they doing? Someone tell me!" Cat pleads, grabbing the edges of her seat and almost bouncing into the air, as her movements grow more and more frantic. Jade's eyes fly toward the rattling redhead and she draws her lips into a hard thin line.

"They're sneaking around. Vega is in love with Shapiro and he's infatuated with her, and yet they're unwilling to share that information with us." Jade exclaims, her emotions roaring to life as he leaps from her seat and slams her hands on the table. Glasses and dishes vibrate in the wake of her wrath, as I sink into my seat. I don't see what business this is of Jade's, Robbie and I are entitled to our privacy.

"No." I lie smoothly, my hand snaking away from my side and landing on Robbie's knee beneath the table. I don't know why, but the smallest sensation of contact with him seems to calm the anger that's beginning to fester within me.

"Jade, just sit down. Come on! Can we have one nice dinner?" Beck demands, grabbing Jade's hips and pulling her back into her chair.

"Tori, don't." Robbie pleads, pulling my gaze towards him. I guess I'm not doing that good of a job with concealing my anger, it's probably reflected in my eyes.

"Don't what?" Andre asks, subtlety and body language was never his strong point.

"Oh no, is everything not tipidy top perfect in Tori Vega's whirlwind Romance?" Jade taunts tossing herself into the conversation once again and injecting her tone with a southern twang to mock my voice. I clench my jaw angrily, as something like lightning rushes through my veins.

"I don't talk like that!" I hiss, gnarling my hands into fists and leaning forward. Jade's smirk only deepens, and I swallow the lump in my throat as I feel the air grow thick around us.

"Oh, oh no! Did I offend lil' old you?" Jade's lips curl upwards with malice. I'm about to leap forward when Robbie catches me by the shoulders and pulls me back. I hear him heave a sigh, as he realizes that there's no sense in hiding this. Flicking my gaze to him, I'm about to speak again when I notice his lips part.

"Tori and I are together, or I mean we are if she wants to be." He says casting a glance in my direction. I look at him and smile. Our shared moment is interrupted by the sound of Jade's groan ripping through the air.

"Come On! Vega you would have to be braindead to say yes. Shapiro likes you and all, but it's not worth it. Just say no. Only a fool would say yes." The passion Jade speaks with imprints the words on my mind. Jade speaks as though she knows everything about Robbie. Shaking her words loose, I realize that she doesn't know a thing.

Dragging a deep breath, I look into the chocolate orbs of the boy sitting next to me and whisper one word that changes everything.

"Yes. Yes I want to be with you, Robbie." I beam, grasping his hand under the table and pulling it above the table to display our connection in a literal sense so that there's no doubt in anybody's mind. Not even Cat can be confused about where Robbie and I stand now.

"Barf." Jade chokes out, crossing her arms over her chest and slumping into her seat. My eyes drift to the boy beside me, his jaw is clenched and I realise what's coming maybe even before he does.

"That's it Jade. Time out!" Beck states, an icy calm to his words as he stands up.

"W-what?" She splutters, eyes blowing open as Beck's words sink in.

"My car. Ten Minutes." He states in a low voice, pointing in the direction of the door.

"Fine." She growls, reluctantly consenting to his demand. The sound of her chair scraping against the ground reverberates through the room as Jade pushes away from the table and stands up.

"I'll text you in ten minutes." Beck calls after the retreating figure of Jade.

"Sorry guys. She's been a downer lately, her mom moved out and left Jade with her dad and little brother" He says sheepishly, lifting his water glass to his lips. My eyebrows upturn and I feel terrible for Beck, he looks for tired. Somewhere behind the anger that still lingers within me, I feel bad for Jade too. Sometimes it's easy to forget how rough things are for her.

"So you two are together now?" Beck adds after a moment, raising an eyebrow at me and Robbie as though it's a foreign concept.

"Yeah, we sure are." I say, choosing my words carefully and then retreat back into my shell to keep from getting hurt or hearing something hurtful. I'm certain Robbie's doing the same, I just hope his shell is as hard as mine.

"I like it, I always knew you two would end up together." Andre pipes up offhandedly. Peering in his direction, I'm greeted by one of his blinding grins, and the heaviness in my heart seems to weigh just a little less.

"What do you mean? I never told anyone I felt this way about Robbie…" I question, looking at Andre. He's wearing a look that suggests this was a foregone conclusion, rather than something that flew in from the left field. I don't know how he could have known, I didn't even know myself.

"Come on! When you would sit down at lunch you could practically touch the bubble of sexual tension between you two." Beck pushes the words out through laughter as he shakes his head. My eyebrows slam together as I wonder how this was so obvious to everybody but me.

"Robbie has a girlfriend!" Cat's lilting voice joins the conversation as she smiles brightly. Inwardly I breathe a sigh of relief, if anybody was going to freak out over this; I thought it would have been her. Yet here she is, grinning widely and a small giraffe that I can only guess was concealed within her purse before now.

"Yeah, I do don't I?" Robbie says, almost more to himself than anybody else. He's smiling a real full smile for once and I feel my heart swell within my chest, some kind of warmth rising alongside it.

"It's Mr. Longneck!" Cat giggles, thrusting a giraffe towards the unsuspecting waiter that has arrived with our orders. He's unfazed, simply glancing at her and then directing a raised eyebrow at the rest of us.

Once we've finished eating, Beck reaches into his pocket and produces a small wrapped package. He gingerly hands it to Cat, apparently afraid that she's going to drop it.

"Happy Birthday." He says, grinning when she takes hold of it without issue.

"It's from me and Jade, and it's for you and Mr. Longneck." He says chuckling lightly before his features darken and he returns to typing on his phone. Beck's been trying to get Jade to return since our food was delivered, but she's refusing to come back for some reason.

Meanwhile, Cat frantically tears off the wrapping paper and opens the small velvet box.

"What is it Little Red?" Andre asks, rising slightly from his chair peeking over at her gift.

"It's a Giraffe necklace!" Cat squeals, pulling a small silver chain adorned with the yellow animal from the box and holding it up so we can all see it. I've got to admit that Jade's taste is excellent. I'm fairly sure she demanded Beck buy it.

"Here's our present." I say, handing Cat a bag.

"It's from me and Tori." Robbie says, something like excitement creeping into his voice. Cat unties the ribbon holding the handles of the bag together, and pulls out a giraffe with a bow around the neck and a clear case.

"What's on the CD?" Cat asks cocking her head to one side as curiosity takes hold of her every thought.

"I wrote you a song like I did for Trina, only this time Robbie helped me out with producing it." I say, clenching my bottom lip between my teeth hoping she'll like it. Truthfully it's more Robbie's song than mine. All I did was contribute lyrics and vocals. It felt like he did so much more.

"Ooo! I wanna hear!" Cat squeaks, before flying out of her seat and bouncing over to the DJ. Only a few moments of begging later, and he's putting the silver disc into his player, a look of forced compliance on his face. Suddenly bass is pumping its energy through the air, as the music filters through the speakers and covers the restaurant in a blanket of sound.

Beck's phone begins to vibrate, so he picks up his phone, presses a few keys, and then lefts the phone to his ear.

"You can come back, but only if you promise to accept the fact that Tori and Robbie are together and you can't do anything about it." He says, cupping a hand over one ear to block out any noise that's not Jade's voice.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go. Jade won't come in." Beck says after a few moments of failed negotiations. The stench of defeat hangs around him as he stands up and gently pats Cat on the head. Biting the inside of my cheek, I watch as Beck picks up his jacket and turns to leave.

"Hey, wait!" I call after Beck, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Yeah?" Beck asks, looking back at us curiously.

"I need to apologize to Jade for what happened earlier." I say, standing up from the table.

"Okay?" He slowly, narrows his eyes in confusion. I push myself to my seat and trail behind Beck as jerks his shoulders, further signaling his compliance. He pushes the door open and the night's air bites my exposed skin. We approach the red car apprehensively, as if in fear that Jade will lash out like some kind of wild animal. I reach out one timid hand, and gently tap on the glass of the window. A head of dark hair looks up and piercing emerald eyes bore through my soul.

"What?" She barks, rolling down the window and glaring back at me.

"Look, I'm sorry things got so out of hand earlier, and I just wish you would come back in because it won't be Cat's birthday without everyone there." I say, swallowing my pride and forcing a smile to my lips. Jade's eyes soften. I swear they do. It's almost unperceivable, but I'm sure it happened.

"Fine, I might come in. But only if you and Puppet Boy don't get all cuddly kissy." She states, folding her arms across her slender frame and narrowing her eyes in a way that tells me to do as she says.

"Deal" I say, nodding my head in agreement.

"Let's get this over with then." She sighs, reluctantly gripping the worn door handle and stepping out of Beck's car. I turn around to see Robbie lingering behind us, his hands clasped in front of him. I realize that he'd followed us out of concern about what Jade might do and my heart gives a happy little kick.

I grip Robbie's hand in mine, and head back toward Nozu. The sound of my heels clicking against the hard tar of the parking lot is the only sound that punctures our little bubble of silence. I halt our progress when we reach the lobby, ignoring the crash as Jade slings open the door and stomps past us and into the restaurant.

"You okay?" I ask Robbie, that nervous feeling creeping into my stomach again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…I feel too lucky." He mumbles, biting down on his lip and taking a seat on the edge of a nearby fountain. My mouth hangs open and I'm not sure what to say, I'm not sure how to fix him.

"Kay." I whisper, eventually settling on a word. It tastes bitter though, hollow and unfulfilling. So I lean forward and peck his cheek lightly. Something sparks within Robbie, like my touch is all he needed, and a grin finds its way onto his lips.

"C'mon!" Jade yells, poking her head through the door. Her piercing voice catches us both off guard, and a startled Robbie loses his balance and tumbles headfirst into the spewing fountain. I grip his hand to pull him up, but instead I feel myself tumbling into the body of water alongside him. I'm trying to regain my bearings so I can get up, but Robbie's limbs keep getting tangled with mine. Eventually figuring out which way is up, I turn toward the door and notice Jade standing there with her phone.

The sound of a photo being taken shatters the silence.

"Crud." Hear from beside me. It stops my train of thought in its tracks, and smiling slyly I lean over and pull Robbie into a searing kiss. Startled at first, he slowly melts into my embrace and grips my waist tightly. The sound of another photo being taken flickers in the background, but I'm not worried. If anything Jade's doing me a favour my photographing this, it's something I never want to forget.

The perfect ending to an imperfect night.

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><p><strong>Like? Love? Dislike? Hate?<strong>

**Review! (it helps with the writing process)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious**

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><p>[ROBBIE'S POV]<p>

I throw my car into park in front of my house. No lights illuminate the windowpanes of the cold harsh building looming before me. With a sigh, I unbuckle my seatbelt. A mildly satisfying click fills the tense quiet air. I step into the night's air and look through the ring of keys clutched into my palm. All I'm trying to find is the small silver key that fits into the front door.

Finally having found the slight of silver, I fling open the door and flop onto the couch. I'm just too worn out to go up the stairs to my room. I glance at the empty living room and notice a note laying limply on the worn coffee table. Lifting it up, my eyes narrow as I parse the words.

"Robbie, I'm going out and I don't know when I'll be home mom and dad are still working so they won't be home either.

Love You, Rachelle."

I let the note slip through my fingers as the realization that I'm alone here yet again crashes over me. In a fit of weakness, I pull out my phone and dial a familiar number. My fingers go to the numbers without me having to even concentrate.

"Robbie?" Her voice filters through the speaker and instantly everything seems brighter.

"Tori, will you come over? My parents aren't home and neither is my sister." I ask, biting my lower lip. Some muffled speech slips through the speaker and the fear of rejection bubbles up within me.

"Come get me?" She finally asks, a slight giggle tittering through her lips.

"Of course." I reply, grinning and failing to keep the joy from leaking into my words. My tiredness lays forgotten on the couch as I spring to my feet, fishing my key out of my pocket as the front door veers into view.

The drive there seems to both fly past me and drag on for an eternity. My mind keeps flittering from one to the other. Pulling into Tori's driveway, she's waiting on the doorstep and I'm greeted by the thin toned brunette I had left just minutes earlier. Her chestnut curls tumble over her shoulders and her eyes light up as she walks towards me. It still feels surreal, but apparently I'm the reason.

"Hey." She whispers folding herself into the seat beside me.

"Hey you." I grin, leaning over to Tori and lifting her chin with one finger. She leans toward me eagerly, sweeping me out of the real world and into nirvana with her velvety lips.

"Shall we go?" She asks, pulling away and grinning impishly. She's still leaning slightly in my direction and my breath catches in my throat. Words stick to my tongue and I splutter for a moment.

"Surely Girly." I reply, finally managing to speak again. Throwing my car into gear and grabbing her hand, we speed along the road to my humble abode. For once, I kind of can't wait to get home.

"So, this is your home?" Tori asks, stepping out of the car and craning her neck to see the windows that dot the upper portion of the house. I shudder slightly, and nod. This house has never really felt like a home.

"Yeah." I answer, suppressing the sadness in my voice. Grabbing Tori's waist, I lead her towards the large wooden front door. Ambling forwards, I open it and flip on a light. Before stepping toward the couch where I flop down, pulling Tori with me. She sighs contentedly, and I drape an arm across her belly.

"It's enormous." Tori states after a few moments in companionable silence. Sometimes I forget how massive this place is, but it all comes flooding back as I watch Tori's awe struck expression as she looks around.

"Mmhmm." I mumble looking into her eyes, and she twists around towards me. My fingers skitter up her stomach and to her shoulders, drawing a low rumble from Tori's lips. Flipping her over fully, I drag her into a searing kiss. Tori's startled, but slowly melts against me. Just as I'm beginning to relax fully, she pulls away and for the slightest of moments I'm terrified that she's going to break things off, and I'll be left a broken single nerd.

"That was kind of great." She breathes out. The sweet smell fills my nose, and arrests all of my fears. As I study her smoldering chocolate orbs, I actually feel like I mean something within the world. It's a foreign sensation, but one that's not totally unwelcome.

"Thanks?" I answer uncertainly, raising an eyebrow in confusion. I have no idea why Tori would be the one saying that. I should be falling to my knees and bowing to her or something. Tori stifles a yawn, thinking I wouldn't notice.

"You wanna watch a movie?" I ask, trying to come up with something that will allow her to rest, while keeping me entertained.

"Sure" She chirps, slipping out of my arms for a moment and grabbing the remote. Whirling around, she thrusts it into my hands before turning around and shuffling against me. Flipping through the movies, I halt at a romantic one. I'm pretty sure I recognize it from one of the movie nights Tori's hosted in the past.

"My favorite!" She squeaks happily.

"I'm glad." I murmur, leaning forward and peppering Tori's neck and cheekbone with kisses.

"Mmm" She mumbles and cuddles closer.

"You tired?" I ask, brushing away a stray piece of hair from Tori's face as the third act begins. Somehow she's still awake. I thought for sure she'd have fallen asleep already.

"Yeah, a little." Tori answers, stating the obvious as she lays her head back on my chest and closes her eyes. If it wasn't for the smile on her lips, and the warmth in my chest I might feel the slightest inkling of guilt that she's been trying so hard not to fall asleep.

"G'night angel." I whisper, giving her a feather light kiss as the final credits begin to roll. Tori's breathing evens out and steadies to shallow breaths that cause her chest to shudder under the intake. Slowly I disentangle myself from her and pick her up. Gently cradling her in my arms, we ascend the hardwood stairs that lead towards my room. I look down and am greeted by the face of my angelic girlfriend. Grinning, I stop in front of a door and gingerly reach for the handle. Tori stirs in my arms as my fingers latch onto the cool metal of the door handle.

"Robbie?" She murmurs blinking rapidly, and trying to drag herself back into consciousness.

"Yeah?" I ask, wrapping my fingers around a doorknob and opening the heavy door. We step into the dark emptiness of my bedroom, and I flip on a light as I step forward.

"Where are we?" Tori asks. She's absolutely adorable as she lifts up her head to look around.

"My room." I chirp, laying Tori on the bed and crawling in beside her.

"Oh, ok. Goodnight." She whispers, seemingly content in that knowledge as she plants a feathery kiss on my shirt.

"Night." I whisper caressing her head, and reaching over to turn out the light.

I'm still laying awake a while later, when Tori stirs uncomfortably in her sleep. Her soft whimpers drift into the air, and I lean forward, wondering if I should shake her from this nightmare.

"Shh, shh. Tori it's okay" I murmur, admiring the way that the moonlight filters in through the thick curtains casting a silvery glow on her face. Even when she's asleep she's beautiful. As I loom over her, Tori grips my shirt in her fists and whimpers louder sounding like a kicked puppy. I dip down over Tori and kiss her forehead to try and calm her soft whimpers.

"Stop it Ryder." She growls suddenly, balling up her fist and smacking me in the jaw. Pain surges through my lower jaw and lip. Lifting my finger to my throbbing lips, I'm relieved when no blood stains my skin as I pull it away again.

"Tori, Tori wake up." I implore, shaking her gently. Tori's body hangs limply in my arms and I wonder where that sudden burst of energy had come from.

"What?" Tori snaps, still sounding irritated, but looking up at me with her puppy eyes.

"You hit me." I state, watching her expression shift instantly as I lean forward and kiss her soft lips to show there are no hard feelings. I wrap Tori in my arms and look out the window, thinking she won't reply. My eyes fly along the landscape outside of my window. The houses that dot the street cast long lean shadows across the street. When the shadows reach the edge of the street they snake up the siding and rock of the other houses.

"Sorry." Tori says after a moment, dragging me away from my inner thoughts of the houses and the dark sinister like shadows that envelope the street and the houses just opposite them.

"It's fine. A small price to pay." I grin down at her, and it's the truth. Her eyes meet mine and for the slightest of moments Tori's eyes go from the innocent brown orbs I'm familiar with, to a sexy smolder. A knot tightens in my throat and I swallow thickly as I feel her head go back to its resting place on my shoulder, her curls cascading over my chest.

"What time is it?" Tori asks sleepily, lifting her head back up causing a thick curtain of curls to cover her face lazily.

"Two A.M." I reply, guiding her head into the crook of my neck. Her breath against my neck sends shivers racing up my spine, and an incoherent mumble slips from my lips as the urge to sleep overtakes me.

I wrench my eyes open reluctantly and with even thinking, I tighten my embrace on the sleeping angel beside me. Peering over her shoulder, I look at the clock sitting on the wooden table next to my bed. The large florescent numbers stare back at me. Nine thirty. I groan and look down at a sleeping Tori who's wild brunette curls are splayed across my chest. Reluctantly, I pull myself to an upright position and try to gingerly lay Tori's head onto a waiting pillow hoping I'm not going to wake her.

It's all for naught though, Tori stirs and lifts her head her mascara is smudged down her high cheekbones from sleep. The rest of her face bears little to no sign of having any makeup on though, and she's still ridiculously good looking for having just woken up.

"Morning." I say brightly, resisting the urge to laugh at her disheveled hair.

"Morning." Tori replies groggily, kissing my cheek gently before sitting up and folding her body into a cross-legged position trapping my legs beneath hers.

"What do you want?" I ask, laughter finally slipping through my lips as confusion registers on Tori's face.

"Want for what?" She asks, cocking her head to the side and gripping her ankles to maintain her balance.

"Breakfast." I answer, stroking her slender hands gently.

"W-wow. This is new. Uh, I'm not sure." She replies, looking utterly baffled by this new development. At the conclusion of her words, Tori looks over at me with her melted chocolate orbs and my lips pull into a grin.

"Coffee, Toast, Omelet?" I ask, pulling my feet out from underneath her.

"Yes!" She moans, closing her eyes and letting her tongue peek through her lips. I'm mesmerized as it caresses them only for the slightest of moments.

"Come with me then." I state, hauling myself out of bed and holding out a hand to her. My hand hovers in the air, and I'm waiting to feel her hand enclose mine and caress it.

"Turn around" She insists instead. Tori's standing on my bed and shifting her weight between her feet eagerly.

"Okay?" I reply uncertainly, raising an eyebrow but turning around anyway. She bounces slightly on my bed before pushing herself off and landing on my back. My knees buckle slightly but her weight isn't nearly enough to bring us crashing down.

"Mush Robbie, mush." She whispers in my ear, satisfaction dripping from her words. Tori's warm breath caresses my ear, and sends shivers up through my body.

"Yeah, yeah Demon." I answer, jokingly poking Tori's nose as her head peeks over my shoulder. I feel light air caress my neck as Tori yawns.

"I'm tired." She groans, resting her head in the crook of my neck.

"Lay on my bed then, I'll bring you breakfast back." I state, spinning around heading back towards my bed.

"Noooo. The couch so I can still talk to you. Please?" She pleads, kissing my neck lightly. Waves of pleasure surge through me at the light kiss and the protests forming on my lips die away.

"Fine." I sigh in resignation, before shifting Tori's weight so she's more evenly situated on my back.

"Robbie is the best." She mumbles sleepily into my shoulder.

"No Tori is." I counter, slightly turning my head towards the girl on my back.

"Don't start with me." Tori threatens. Any venom in her voice is lost between the tiredness in her voice, and the fact that she's on my back.

"Kay." I chuckle, descending the stairs one by one and then carefully laying my sleeping angel on the couch.

"Don't go." She mumbles not releasing her grip.

"I'll make you breakfast" I reply, trying to bribe her and hoping that she's too tired to resist anymore. I'm expecting her fingers to slide away from my back, but their grip only tightens around me.

"Don't care." She retorts determination fighting it's way into her voice.

"Alright Tori, you win." I murmur, sliding her onto the couch and slipping onto it beside her. It might be a delayed start to the morning, but if I could start every day like this I would be more than happy. Then again, I could start the day in a cardboard box and be happy in the knowledge that I'm the boyfriend of Tori Vega.

She's kind of amazing.

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><p><strong>Thanks for Reading! This story will probably wrap up in a couple chapters or so! So Leave a Review and tell me what you think! Like it or Hate it?<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**This chapter is M rated, it's vague but fairly obvious. Soo if this offends you skip it! (:**

**I would looove to thank my beta who has helped me through this story. When it started it was a husk of a story and now it is absolutely amazing!**

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><p>Tori<p>

His slightly calloused hands caress the bare flesh on my stomach as he waits for me to wake up fully. I'm enjoying the sensation so much that I revel in it for a few more stolen moments before letting him know that I'm awake.

"Hey." I whisper, rolling over on the soft couch and coming face to face with his warm inviting eyes. Stroking his cheek lightly I kiss him gently, letting my tongue sweep over his bottom lip. He grips me tightly and draws me closer to his bony frame.

"Hey you." He mumbles against my lips. Gently I push away from him as a question brews on my lips.

"Does that breakfast offer still stand?" I ask, even though it's probably closer to lunch time. A smile hitches itself to my lips as he nods vigorously, causing his black curls to bounce back and forth.

"Coffee first, and then you can make the rest of my food." I demand sleepily. Knowing that it's fairly obvious that I'm kidding.

"Of course." He replies, jumping off of the couch and reaching for my hand in one fluid motion. His hand is warm and inviting, so I let myself be tugged along. Who knew Robbie could move gracefully under the right circumstances.

He pours the grind into the machine and starts it. The sweet strong aroma of coffee pours into the small space that I'm sharing with him. I don't think I've ever felt so domesticated with a boy before.

"Toast? Omelet?" He asks, opening the fridge and producing a carton of brown eggs.

"Mmm yes!" I reply, bubbling with excitement. As I take the carton from him and begin fishing in the cabinet for a pan, I fail to notice Robbie hovering behind me until it's too late.

"You're so cute you know." He comments when we collide. Dropping the pan on the bench behind me, I reach a hand up and snake it around Robbie's neck, pulling his face down to my level.

"You're cuter." I whisper, my voice taking on a husky tone as our lips meet. I rake my hands through his black curls, elicting a moan from somewhere deep in his throat. His tongue sweeps along my bottom lip pulling forth another moan, but this time it comes from me. I open my lips obligingly, and our tongues tangle in some sort of a sensual dance. It's as though they're fighting for dominance.

"That's never going to be anything less than amazing" Robbie breathes when we finally, albeit reluctantly pull away from the other. His grasp is still firm on my waist as we fight to catch our breath. A grin pulls at my lips as I realize why he holds onto me so tightly. I don't think he's fully realized I've got no intention of leaving him.

"Coffee's done." I chirp, turning towards the cabinet and producing two ceramic mugs. Taking them over to the other side of the counter, I grip the dark pot in my hand and let the hot liquid pour out and splash against the white cup.

Handing him his cup, I take a long sip from my own and moan in delight.

"God that's amazing." I say staring into Robbie's chocolate eyes. He's watching me intently, like he's trying to commit every moment to memory. A few moments later, Robbie leans against the counter and pulls my back into his chest. His abdomen isn't thin and bony like I'd expected. It's hard and actually kind of muscular, unlike his arms and the rest of his body.

"Food's ready." He announces when after I've stolen a few moments in his embrace. Setting down his cup, he reluctantly steps away from me and reaches over to turn off the stove. I grab two plates and watch as he effortlessly pours the omelette onto the two plates. I quickly take my fork and stab it into the cheesy goodness resting on his plate.

"Hey!" Robbie interjects, before realizing that I wasn't stealing his food. As I lift the fork towards his lips, he grin and scoops up some of my food on a fork, echoing my movements. I boost myself up onto the counter and set the two plates between us. It's not totally practical to feed each other, but neither of us can think of a better way to eat our first breakfast together.

"You're an amazing cook." I comment, taking the last bite of my omelette and feeding Robbie the last bite of his.

"Well, you're an amazing eater." He replies with an awkward chuckle.

"I love you Robbie." I state suddenly, leaning against his chest, and wrapping my legs around his waist when he wanders close enough.

"I love you too Tori." He mumbles into my hair, kissing the dark curls and plucking a giggle from me.

"What are you doing tonight?" Robbie asks, pulling away gently. He's still keeping me relatively close to his body, but I wish he'd stayed where he was.

"Being here with you. That is if it's ok…" I reply, feeling my confidence drain away with each passing word.

"Why?" I ask suspiciously, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Perfect moments have had a nasty habit shattering into shards of pain for me in the past. This day has been utterly perfect, so I'm on guard instantly.

"Do you want to go on a date? Just the two of us, a real date. Not like what happened at Nozu on Cat's birthday, but a real honest to God date. Dinner, maybe a movie, come back here, you can spend the night and we can talk. You know, go out and be a couple?" Robbie's explanation spews forth and I feel my fears melt away. He's a total dork, but as I watch him carry on and on, a goofy smile finds it's way to my lips.

"Of course I want that. I sounds great." I reply, trying not to gush, but letting my smile turn into a full blown grin.

"Oh-Okay that's great. Nozu at seven?" Robbie stutters, still radiating uncertainly. I press my lips to his gently, to reassure him. He tastes faintly of coffee and eggs, it's a comforting taste. Despite my intentions, when we break apart, I'm the one that feels reassured.

"Sure." I grin, putting my hands around Robbie's neck and drawing him closer once again. His hands find their way to the hem of my shirt, and I seize up for a second. It's enough to halt Robbie's fingers and he abruptly pulls away from my lips.

"What's wrong?" He asks. Pure concern laces his words as his eyes study my face looking for signs of God knows what. Shaking my head, I realize that Robbie's nothing like the other guys that have tried that. Instead of a hardened glare, he'd looked ready to collapse in a heap at the prospect of upsetting me.

"Nothing" I say capturing his lips in yet another kiss, before dragging him over to the couch and pulling him on top of me. This time my hands find their way to his shirt and I'm vaguely aware of the buttons prying loose as my fingers skate down his chest. His hands skitter up my shirt and along my spine before it too is discarded.

My mind is swirling in ecstasy when he takes my hand and tugs me over the edge into bliss. His kisses after are so sweet yet my lips are so swollen,and my neck is red from the multitude of kisses that were placed there.

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><p>The air is thick with the smell of him and we're cuddled under a blanket on the couch. His hands skate along my frame as I teeter between the line of consciousness and unconsciousness. As I begin to drift off, amount of bliss I felt today was too strong for words.<p>

"I love you Robbie." I mumble sleepily as he peppers my neck with kisses and rouses me from my slumber. It's a great feeling that can't be duplicated.

"I love you too Tori." He murmurs lifting his head groggily from where it lays on my shoulder. I look around the room and pick up Robbie's discarded shirt. Surely it's okay to wear your boyfriend's clothes after you give him your virginity, right?

"Where are you going?" Robbie asks, looking up at me buttoning his shirt over my thin frame. There's concern in his eyes, and it's almost like this was a bigger deal to him than it was to me, which seems impossible.

"To get some water." I reply, smiling at his concern and pulling together the two sides of the shirt to fasten the last button.

"Oh." He replies, seemingly satisfied as he allows his head drop back onto the couch. His light breathing seems to echo through the room as I sip on the water. Draing the last of the water out of the cup, I go back to the couch and peel the blanket away from Robbie gingerly. I climb back onto the couch and even though he's still slumbering, Robbie's arms encircle me instinctively.

I wake up and rub the sleep out of my eyes before taking in my surroundings. It's an unfamiliar place but one glance at the floor and the discarded dishes on the counter, all of the memories come flooding back in a torrent of 'Oh, Yeah'. I turn over and see that Robbie is awake. He probably has been for some time, judging by the glazed look in his eyes as he watches television.

"Hey." I murmur, remembering the last time we were in this position.

"Hey, I'm sorry." He whispers, an obvious crack in his voice.

"For what?" I ask, stroking his face. It's rough with stubble, and I can't say I hate the way it feels.

"For pressuring you into that. You seemed like at first you didn't want it, and then I kissed you and then it happened, and now I can't take it back. I'm just…I'm sorry." He whispers the last part as tears started to surface, and I realize he's probably been stewing over this for some time.

"Robbie, Robbie, Robbie. It's ok. Look I'm not harmed and you're not harmed. All we did was show love for each other." I comfort him by pulling his head down into the crook of my neck and stroking my fingers through his dark curls.

"I love you so much Tori." He says, peering up from his current position and giving me a watery smile.

"I love you so much more, Robbie." I reply earnestly, kissing him on the forehead.

"We should uh, probably go and get ready for Nozu." I giggle shifting the conversation toward a more casual topic in order to calm Robbie down.

"Yeah, probably. Do you want me to take you home? Or you could probably borrow one of my sister's dresses." He states, pausing as his eyes skate over my frame. Well, at least what can be seen through thick blanket covering us.

A few moments later, Robbie leads me up the stairs, before turning into a room at the end of the hall. I can only assume it's his sisters. The walls are green with white wallpaper, and the bed is a light pink with white and green pillows. It's definitely a girl's room.

"The dresses are probably in there." He says, gesturing to a closet, before diving for the door. I guess he wants to give me some privacy. I stifle a giggle at his strange way of showing it. Any normal person would have just walked away calmly.

"Alright. Remember to thank her for me?" I say, turning in the direction of his hand and flinging open the closet door. I pull out a pink dress with a white sash and slip out of Robbie's shirt and into the dress. The dress stops just above my knees and the top is a sweetheart neckline that stops halfway down my cleavage. Amazingly it's a pretty close fit, and I'm in no danger of falling out of it, or bursting the seams.

"God, you look amazing." Robbie says, when I step into his room.

"What are you wearing?" I ask, looking in his closet at the expanse of T-shirts and patterned button-ups.

"This." He says, pulling out a pair of black pants and a white shirt.

"Ooh fancy." I chirp, wrapping my arms around Robbie's still bare abdomen and leaning against his back.

"I guess." He shrugs, pulling the shirt and pants off the hanger and slipping into them. I really wish he'd show a little more confidence, but don't say anything.

"You ready?" He asks, grabbing my waist and the keys from beside his bed.

"Yep." I nod, taking his hand and intertwining our fingers. He leads me out to his car and opens the door. I duck in and buckle my seatbelt as he circles the car to his side.

We pull into the parking lot and he refuses to let me get out until he can open my door. I take his hand and let Robbie lead me into the restaurant and open each door like a gentleman. Each time he does it, I feel a little bit luckier.

"Table for two, please." He tells the hostess. She nods and grabs two menus and leads us to a table in a dark corner. He pulls out my chair and stumbles on his way to his. A giggle comes forth from my lips and he smiles impishly. Even when he's woo-ing me, part of the Robbie I've come to know still shine though.

"I meant to do that." He chuckles, grasping my hand gently and smiling in place of the tailspin he'd usually descend into. Maybe there's hope for his confidence yet.

Dinner is a quiet affair and it ends with Robbie and I back on the couch watching a movie and falling asleep together. It's nothing fancy, but it's just perfect. We've only just begun to date, but I can already tell that we could get married and live happily ever after.

He already treats me like a princess so what is there to stop us?

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><p><strong>AN:**

**There is one more chapter in this Rori story and then maybe a gigantic authors note at the end of that chapter. I must say I loved writing this and this story really helped me to grow as a writer. At first I was wary of publishing it but now I have no regrets!**

**Anyways, tell me what you thought of this chapter! Did you like it love it or hate it?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Last Chapter guys**

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><p>Robbie:<p>

"Aww that's so cute!" Madison squeals, tenting her clasping her fingers excitedly as I finally finish the tale of how Tori and I fell in love so many years ago.

"No, it really wasn't." Jade chastises her daughter, looking exasperated.

"I think it was!" Beck says, wrapping a reassuring arm around Jade. The table is abuzz with the chatter from six adults and the four kids accompanying them. I glance over at Tori. She's as beautiful as ever, and her hands are lovingly stroking the ever growing bump on her belly.

"Cute Love story." She whispers, leaning her head against my chest.

"Only 'cause it was ours." I reply, looking over at our daughter Kassidy. She's animatedly talking to Beck and Jade's son Terrence, and the look in her eyes reminds me so much of her mother.

"Jade." I say with a smile, earning a glare from the woman in question.

"What is it Shapiro?" She snaps. Her appearance has changed slightly and she may have mellowed a tad, but one thing's for sure.

Jade is still a gank.

"Look." I state, nodding my head towards the two six year olds.

"Oh…they're just talking." She says, nervously gripping Beck's hand. There's a look of sheer terror in Jade's eyes that makes me think that not even she believes those words.

"Mommy! Terrence says he likes me!" Kassidy squeals, bouncing towards Tori.

"Oh. My. God." Jade mutters, burying her head in her hands.

"Terrence, do you really like the Shapiro girl?" Jade asks, looking over at the olive skinned boy. She's trying her hardest to look like the girl that terrorized Hollywood Arts, but motherhood has dulled her edges. Slightly.

"She's pretty momma." Terrence says, his emerald eyes glistening with young love.

"She looks like an unholy Robbie and Tori hybrid though." Jade hisses, halfheartedly trying to steer the little boy's feelings away from my little girl.

"I know! Auntie Tori is beautiful." He says defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that I know Jade is familiar with.

"Can I marry Kassy?" Terrence asks Beck, suddenly abandoning his conversation with Jade. He's peering over at his father with hopeful eyes as Jade looks affronting in the background. I stifle a chuckle.

"In twenty years kid." Beck replies casually, flashing his son an easy smile.

"But that's like a whole Sesame Street episode!" Terrence whines.

I give a small chuckle at the West Family dynamic as they continue to squabble. Glancing down the table, I see Andre and Cat playing noughts and crosses on the tablecloth. Needless to say, he finally worked up the courage in senior year to ask her out. They're getting married this spring. Cat's got her heart set on giraffe centrepieces

"Daddy?" Kassidy squeaks, tugging on my sleeve.

"Yes Kass?" I ask, gently ruffling her wavy brown hair.

"Can I marry Terrence? He said his daddy told him to wait twenty years, but that's an entire episode of Sesame Street!" She says seriously, a plea in her dark eyes.

"You're cute Kass." I chuckle, dodging her question with a hug and turning back to Tori.

"What's on your mind?" I ask, kissing her temple gently.

"You, The kids, the baby." She ticks off the list on her slender fingers. My eyes catch on the silver band that encircles her ring finger. It's just a little reminder to the rest of the world that for some reason, she's chosen to be mine.

"I love you Tori Shapiro." I murmur into her hair. After seven years I still can't get over being able to roll her name off my tongue and add Shapiro to the end of it.

"I love you too Robbie Shapiro." She replies, that same twinkle that I fell in love with sparkling in her eyes as she glances down at Terrence and Kassidy.

"So what was I hearing about Sesame Street and getting married?" Tori asks, raising an eyebrow at the other set of parents.

"My kid wants to marry your kid, but I don't want him to…cause well, it hurts my heart." Jade chokes out dramatically. Her emerald eyes seem to gleam for emphasis.

"Jade Oliver has a heart?" Tori asks, placing one hand over her heart with mock shock and nudging the pale skin on Jade's arm with the other.

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have carried those two kids for nine months." Jade states indignantly.

"That's a year and a half of my life being pregnant!" She exclaims after a moment of ticking off numbers on her fingers. Her eyebrows cut into her nose and she's trying to look fearsome again.

Jade's expression softens for a moment when Madison snuggles up to her side though. The little girl is a mini Jade. Her hair is as dark as Jade's, her eyes have that same piercing glare with an emerald color to them and she speaks her mind whether it's wanted or not. The difference is her heart though. Rather than being guarded like Jade's, it's open like her fathers.

"Mommy do I HAVE to eat the sushi, its gross and slimy." Madison complains, as her green eyes take on a look of pleading.

"It is not! Shapiro, Vega, Cat, Andre, Daddy, and I used to come to Nozu all the time during high school. But back then it was owned by a crazy Asian lady who swore to take revenge on me and Tori, but we still ate here because the food was so good." Jade recalls. The memories drag the scowl from her lips, and Jade actually smiles. It's a smile that melts into the sound of Jade's laughter.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to, sweetheart." Beck says cutting Jade's rant short and placating his daughter in the process.

"Thank you daddy." Madison says triumphantly, reaching over and hugging his neck tightly.

The rest of dinner passes by quietly. Cat and Andre are the first to leave, followed by Beck and Jade. That just leaves Tori, our two kids, our unborn baby, and me. I take Tori's hand in mine and lead her to the car, ambling behind Kassidy and her little brother Kadence.

Little three year old Kadence toddles along precariously. Each step seems very careful and thought through. A wail pierces the air when Kass gets too impatient and drags her brother along, causing his steps to fumble around each other. Before Tori or I can reach them, he topples over onto the pavement. Tori goes to rush forward to pick up the whining baby, but I stop her and pick him up, cradling him against my chest.

After a short drive, I pull into the driveway and kill the motor of the car. Gentle breathing fills the car's air as I turn around. Both kids' heads are resting on the sides of their car seats and they're slumbering peacefully. I turn to Tori, intent on asking her if she can take Kadence inside. But when I turn arund, her wavy locks are spilled over her shoulder and her chest rises and falls evenly. Everybody is asleep but me, I realize with a slight grin. Reluctantly, I gently shake my wife awake and kiss her lips gently.

"Mmm…hey." She mumbles, kissing me back with the kind of passion that I've never really gotten used to.

"Can you take Kadence inside and I'll get Kass. They both fell asleep." I whisper, gesturing towards the backseat.

"Mm sure." Tori answers, stretching and causing the bump on her belly to extend further. Out of reflex I lean down and place a small kiss on her belly.

"Let's go." She whispers, crawling out of the car and opening the back door. She gingerly unbuckles the toddler from his seat and carefully holds him against her chest. Tori's so motherly and tender. It's beautiful really. I lift Kassidy up, causing her eyes flit open. For a moment her dark orbs stare back at me.

"Go back to sleep princess." I say soothingly stroking her back. Her head falls back onto my shoulder with a gentle thud and her breathing evens out again.

The light in Kassidy's room goes out, and I look at Tori as she closes the pink painted door behind her.

"Let's go to bed." She mumbles, leaning against my chest and wrapping her arms around my abdomen loosely. I kiss her head and pick her up bridal style. Tori giggles softly as I turn down the hall towards the large wooden door of our bedroom. She grins when I flip on the light and lay her down on the bed.

"I still need my pyjamas." She groans playfully, somehow there's still a twinkle within her chocolate orbs.

"Nah, Tori Shapiro doesn't need pyjamas." I wink, tossing her a silk gown.

"You know, I really love you Robbie." She states seriously, as she shimmies out of her pants and slips the light purple gown over her frame. The material catches slightly on her belly but she yanks it down and crawls on the bed.

"I love you Tori." I whisper, crawling into bed beside my wife and cuddling her from behind. I lean over and kiss her goodnight, to which she only moves closer. Once upon a time I wondered if Tori and I were even really friends, now I know that we're so much more.

We're soulmates.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Kay this will be big-ish so if you don't wanna read it then scroll to the bottom and click on the cute little review button.**

**I am actually kind of sad that this story has come to an end. But it's been a great journey. I've written, re-written and burst into tears because of writer's block. I loved this story and it was my first go at fanfiction and I must say I am utterly impressed at how it turned out. I was wary on writing chapter six but I think it came out well and was one of my best chapters.**

**I would super like to thank Maybewolf my amazing beta and friend. He pushed me along when I was on the verge of giving up and introduced me to a pretty freaking amazing ship. Rori. He also helped me figure out all the ideas for my chapters and was willing to deal with my writing at the beginning when my tensing was crap and I had problems with metaphors, similes and comma placement. I feel so much more confident in my writing now**

**I would also like to thank Jonathan 81. He provided me with so many amazing ideas, and awesome feedback. He was great at reading my rough drafts and providing suggestions of stuff to add or take out.**

**I would also like to thank those people who reviewed this story and stayed true to it the whole way through. You guys are great!**

**And now, some other fanfics that are amazing and should be read:**

**Someone Like You- Megan0104**

**Misery Loves Company- Maybewolf**

**Lovebites and Razorlines- Maybewolf**

**Rebound-Jonathan 81**

**Black Tie Not Optional- Jonathan 81**

**Thanks for reading, and I promise I have more fics in the works, so this isn't the end of my Rori writing.**

**Thanks!**

**-Megan0104-**


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